Ai Bai Hu
by ShadowFaeyre
Summary: KaRe TyMax During the Han Dynasty the White Tiger of the West was a powerful force to be reckoned with, but if the Tiger were to vanish, how would that affect that balance of things? The dynamic battle between the heavens and mortals approach. ON HIATUS
1. Juànzhóu Yīge: Kāishǐ

A/N: S'up, minna-san? XD Here we have my contribution to the KaRe Wave contest! (for those of you who wanna sign up, go to Rebecca85-san's forums and look it up ; ) If you don't wanna join in on all the fun, at least read and review the others, or let us know what you think on the forums; it means a lot to us, and the other submissions are great.

For the record, the title is supposed to translate out as something along the lines of 'Love of a White Tiger'; it's the only thing I could think of.. U

(Disclaimer) I don't own Bakuten Shoot, China, a brain….

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**Juànzhóu Yīge: Kāishǐ**

_Bai Hu, the white tiger of legend…_

_It was said to be king of all beasts, gaining its rank in the constellations due to its color at the 500th year of life; white was one of the five Chinese elements, associated with the west, therefore, the white tiger had become the Guardian of the West._

_It resided in the heavens among its equals: Qing Long, the Azure Dragon of the East. Zu Que, the Vermilion Bird of the South. Xuan Wu, the Black Tortoise of the North. And Huang Long, the Yellow Dragon of the Center._

_In the inky blackness of the night sky did they shine so beautifully, five silent protectorates of the empire of China._

_Nothing could sway the balance of the five, the representations of all that was; The combination of the elements, wood, fire, metal, water and earth. The seasons, spring, summer, autumn and winter._

_All was well…_

_That is until the night the star that was Bai Hu, master of the West, representative of autumn and metal, flickered out; its light completely erased out of the glory of the heavens._

_

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_

The Han Dynasty of China wasn't exactly a peaceful one, being plagued by many wars; yet still, art and technology flourished during this time, counterbalancing the harshness of battle.

It is this era that brought forth the gods of the other-world, descending upon the mortals who worshiped them to shed some light upon times of shadow.

During this time, in the world of mortals, there was a small village located in the far reaches of the mountains to the west of China, hidden by the land it stood upon, isolating a clan of those who claimed to be descendents of the Legendary White Tiger of the West. Those from the village, which was named after their mythical founder, were believed to have cat-like appearances and other traits quite similar to their deity's.

Life was not simple for the inhabitants, for they were a warrior clan, all (even women) trained from an early age in various style of martial arts; though this may be so, it must also be mentioned that each citizen, from child to elder, sought to maintain balance in the world. And when there is war, there must be peace.

Of all the sixty or so villagers, no one embodied the spirit of the tiger more so than Kon Rei.

As a child, he had loved the animal spirit of his village, going so far as to even dress in white, making fall his favorite season, and sleeping facing west. He read all of the village's old texts so much that they became etched in his mind, and he had adorned his clothing with the symbol of ying and yang. The boy had wisdom, patience and power of someone twice his age, and the respect that those of his generation were expected to give.

It seemed to all that the gods favored this boy…

"Rise and shine, sleepy head!" two voices sang out cheerfully into the rising sun, throwing the wooden sliding doors of the room wide open.

"Nyeeh!" the owner of the room mumbled, burrowing deeper under his blanket.

"Kiki, you'd better wake up!" Rai warned, a big grin on his face. The jade necklace he wore reflected the morning sunlight seeping in through the open window, casting a greenish glow upon the bright yellow tunic. He had his well-toned arms across his chest, folded as he awaited his slumbering friend.

"Yeah, Mao's off getting the bucket." Rei chimed in, throwing his long ebony ponytail behind him and out of the way; there was no doubting the mischievous glint in his golden eyes. The white chingsam that he wore (outlined in gold thread), had also been a victim of the morning's rays, which had stained the fabric a broad array of colors, ranging from red, pink, oranges, golds, and purples. No one asked why he wore what was usually considered women's clothes (except Rai, but he doesn't count).

They heard a snort from under the blanket,

"She wouldn't dar- AUUGH!" his screams of discomfort blended with the loud splash of water.

The two older boys looked at each other, then at their now-soggy friend.

"….. Told you."

"Argh! Dammit Mao!"

The pink-haired girl, clad in a matching dress, giggled and dashed out of the bedroom, swinging the small wooden bucket as she did so; Rei and Rai followed quickly.

The spitting mad form of Kiki stormed after them, plotting revenge.

"We warned you, you know."

"Yeah, shut up." The monkey-like boy in green grumbled, dangling upside down from a low tree branch. Sometimes, his friends really sucked.

As the petite greenette swang back and forth on the rough protection of the limb, his companions all sat back, slipping their bare feet into the cool depths of the small stream before them.

The friends had managed to escape their parents for the moment, and had chosen to take a short break at their favorite spot: a small waterfall surrounded by a lush forest at the base of a small mountain near the village. It was quiet there, with plenty of wildlife and large, flourishing plants.

"Aww, you'll be alright Kiki!" Mao laughed from a large slab of rock, tossing the boy a dumpling.

"Hmph!"

Rai was so busy laughing at his companions, that he almost didn't notice a heavy hand edging its way towards his own snack.

"Oi! Watch it Gao; you already have one!"

The burly member of their group pulled back sluggishly, disappointment spreading feverishly across his features.

Rai's scolding was light-hearted of course, they'd done this sort of thing for years; Gao had known his plan would fail.

It had all started at the age of three, when Rei and Rai had first met for their first day of martial arts training, a requirement in their village. Immediately, both boys had befriended, and engaged in their own private competition, always trying to outdo the other. Weeks later, they were paired up to practice against Gao and his partner.

One year after that, Mao and Kiki had joined the fray.

That had been 14 years ago; they'd been friends ever since.

Rei smirked unwrapping a bundle of blue cloth on his lap, and handed another dumpling to the largest of the five, "Here, I have plenty."

Rai blinked, the truth seeking into his skull, "Wait, don't tell me _you _made them!" he then cast a sly glance at his sister, "Geez Mao, he'd make a better wife than _you_ would; your cooking tastes _terrible_!"

Rei flushed, and began to protest, accompanied by a peeved Mao.

"Oh yeah? Well why don't _you_ try cooking for a change!"

Her big brother chuckled good-naturedly, "I was only teasing, Meimei; I'm sure you'll make a fine bride."

"Speaking of…" Kiki broke in, rolling his meat-filled bun between his hands thoughtfully, "Shouldn't you be preparing for your matchmaking? In a few days, you'll be engaged."

The female of the group huffed, "Don't remind me."

"Now, now, it can't be that bad; rumor has it that you'll be marrying Rei."

Mao sighed, "That's only a possibility; the only man our age that _isn't_ a candidate is _you_, Xiongdi."

Rei sat in silence, musing over things. In truth, he really did love Mao, - they had known each other since childhood - but only as a sister. And, when asked, she had stated the same.

_: Still, I'd rather marry_ her _than any other girl here; at least I _know_ her. :_

It was unfortunate in a way, but it could be a lot worse.

"-ei? Rei?"

Rei jerked, caught off-guard, "Huh- wha?"

"We're leaving, else we end up having to do double chores." Rai smiled, offering the hand he had been previously waving in front of his friend's blank stare "and stop spacing out, it's only noon!"

"Right, sorry." He said apologetically.

As soon as he was hoisted to his feet, the cheery band of teenagers began the trek home, unaware of the dark cloud looming on the horizon.

They were about a mile outside the village when they first caught sight of an oddity, a stream of men on horseback, approaching the community. And it was then, that they could finally hear the unmistakable sound of drums.

"A bunch of them were soldiers…" Rai muttered warily, gazing off into the distance.

Kiki, who was standing on Gao's shoulders, informed, "Everyone's gathered in the square. We'd better hurry."

Without another thought, the once carefree teenagers quickened their pace tenfold, making a bee-line for their home.

There was a great hum of quiet conversation when they arrived. And, they noticed, everyone was grouped together with their respective families, looking nervous.

The others wasted no time in finding their parents, while Rei searched for his own; out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rai and Mao run up to their Grandfather, the village leader, bombarding him with questions.

"Rei." A deep voice called, grabbing his attention.

He swirled around, coming face to face with his tall and lanky uncle, his only living relative.

"Shushu, what's going on?" he hissed, trying not to be overheard by the man in the ornate robes, nor his bodyguards.

"We've been threatened by a force from the west."

"Monguls?" it seemed unlikely; if they were the ones to attack, it would come from the North.

The older man shook his head, "We wish; they're unidentified."

Swallowing hard, the long-haired teen gazed at the official sitting not too far away, who was unfurling a thick scroll from his saddle bag. He was an austere personage, who gave off an intense snobbish vibe, which only one who had lived a privileged life without intense labor could exude. His dark blue robes were crisp and neatly mended of any possible tears, making it look practically new; who knows, perhaps it was.

The neko-jin shielded his eyes from the bright afternoon sun, trying to keep the brilliant gleam reflecting off the soldiers' armor at bay.

"Then..?"

His eyes darted sharply to Rai, with whom he exchanged a concerned stare.

The official on horseback called them all to order, peering down at his scroll, "People of Bai Hu cunzhuang, I bring with me a proclamation from the Imperial city." He paused momentarily, catching all the villager's attention before continuing, "By order of the emperor, one man from every family must take their place in the Imperial Army."

Clearing his throat, he pressed on,

"The Chao family!"

Chao Hong se stepped forward gravely, leaving his wife and three children behind him as he approached the official, taking the small scroll that was offered to him.

"The Fengbao family!"

One of twin brothers approached without question, trying dismally to ignore his mother's quiet sobs; the scene was all too familiar to her, having lost her husband and brother to conflict.

"The Tan family!"

Rei and the others snapped their attention on the corner where Gao and his family stood, motionless. Soon, Gao's heavy footsteps thudded against the dirt, reaching for the scroll that would have belonged to his brother.

"The Cheng family!"

Kiki was the only male in his family, and, despite the weird glances he got from the messenger, he too received his notice; though he was small for his age, he was still able to fight.

A few other names were called out, before another heartstring was tugged.

"The Wong family!"

Elder Wong, far too old for combat, stood back as his only Grandson approached the horseman solemnly.

"Xiongdi!" Mao cried, rushing up to stand beside her brother.

The man from the capital stared down his nose at her through beady eyes, his face contorting into a snarl, "You would do well to be silent, girl."

"I-!"

"Mao…"

The young woman glanced at her brother, whose hands were clenched firmly at his sides.

"This doesn't concern you."

"But I can fight!" she retorted furiously, "Why should I stand idly by while you fight for the sake of our clan? There's-"

Before the envoy could react, Rai glared at his sibling, "Stay quiet, while our family name is still honored, sister. Keep your place at Grandfather's side; I do this alone."

Angry tears threatened to fall from the golden eyes of the girl, who turned on her heel and fled the scene. As she brushed past Rei, he could hear her restrained sobs.

Rai bowed before the man of importance, resuming his spot beside his forefather, his tan face set firmly to reveal no emotion.

However, those whom he called his closest friends could see the pain etched across his features, as plain as day.

"The Kon family!"

At this, Rai's mask slipped, revealing an expression of pain.

Rei took a step forward, ready to accept his fate; if he were to face the enemy upon the battlefield, he'd rather do it with his friends at his side.

When he was halfway to the rider however, he felt a strong hand upon his shoulder.

Looking around, he found his Uncle behind him, steadily passing him and accepting the document in his wake.

"Shushu, what-"

"Not another silly girl…!" the envoy hissed, sneering at Rei.

"You should teach these women to learn their place!" he growled, directing his comment to the men of the village, who appeared to be listening, but clearly weren't; the guy looked like a pansy anyway.

Rei stuttered, puzzled.

"But I'm not a gi-"

"Silence!" the pompous man barked, his small black eyes narrowing. To him, there stood a young lady with knee-length black hair and golden eyes, clad in a white and gold dress with red sash and black pants; an odd style for a woman, but then again, the women here were far from how normal women should be.

"Despite what you may believe, women are forbidden to join the army, on pain of death!" he growled.

At this, Rei snapped, "How can you say that, when so many are willing to sacrifice themselves for the cause? Just because the-"

Just then the strong grips of Rai and Gao held down his thin form, Kiki perched on his shoulders, covering his mouth.

"Calm down, Rei." Rai muttered in his ear.

While he struggled furiously with his friends, the messenger looked as though he too were ready to get violent.

Breathing deeply, he murmured to the eldest Kon, "Report in three days time to the Haigui Beike camp."

Wordlessly, the new-recruit bowed.

"Shushu, why did you do that?" Rei cried, bringing his hands down heavily onto the wooden table.

After the messenger and his entourage had left, in a stream of banners, the Kon's had returned to their home, seeking refuge behind the walls surrounding the gardens and their dwelling.

The man before him sipped his tea slowly, as if he were not being shouted at.

He paused a few moments, studying his nephews flushed face, "It's not the place of the young to fight in an able-bodied man's place."

"But-"

"And besides," the older man continued, "You are now seventeen years of age."

Letting the anger flow from him, like a leaf atop a river's surface, Rei sat down again, replying softly, "And that means what to me?"

His uncle turned from him, fidgeting nervously with his hands, a most unusual thing for him of all people to do.

"Uncle?" the teenager asked cautiously, peering at his guardian curiously.

"Rei, I- I meant to tell you long before but…" he heaved a great sigh.

"What I tell you will not make good hearing."

Rei felt a rush of foreboding overtake him, but he acted indifferently.

"Shortly after you were born, my brother and your mother had traveled out to visit all temples dedicated to the other four constellations of the heavens: Qing Long, Zu Que, Huang Long, and Xuan Wu. This journey was made in order to give you strength and good fortune later in life, as it is a common tradition here. However, you fell ill not long after you all left the temple to Qing Long, and were hovering between life and death. Your parents didn't have much money, so it was just your luck (or misfortune) that the head of the town the temple resides in showed up. He played the role of a trusting man, offering to pay for a doctor to examine and treat you. Your parents had thought it was too good to be true, and had signed a contract drawn up by the leader.

But there was a catch; in exchange for saving your life, he had demanded that you become the bride of his second son, once you reach the age of seventeen."

Rei stared at his relative, dumbstruck, "I'm going to be _married_? To a _guy_?"

Had this not been of great importance, he would've laughed, exclaiming about the irony and wondertale-ness of the story.

His uncle nodded solemnly, "I regret not telling you sooner."

"And why didn't you?"

"I thought you wouldn't be ready," the older one tried to reason, "you're not even ready now. But I had no choice; you are required to go through matchmaking to ensure the proper day of marriage, that your day of birth matches that of your husband's in two days."

Rei felt as though he was going to be ill. He, having to go through a _matchmaking_, like a _girl, _while the others fought bravely for the sake of their honor, and those they cherish.

It really wasn't fair.

"I-I need some time alone…" he managed to choke out, hastily standing and sliding open the door.

Instead of escaping to his waterfall hideout that he shared with the others, Rei chose to remain within sight of his home, a home that would be depressingly lonely in three days.

He weaved carefully through the gardens and the shrine to Bai Hu, coming to a rest as the bright red bridge stretching across a small stream cutting into the well-taken care of land. Around him, the air was filled with the delicately sweet scent of blossoms, floating gracefully on the wind from the towering trees, to the emerald-green ground.

He pressed his stomach against the smooth wood of the bridge; his fingers closed loosely over a fallen pink flower.

If only life could be like that blossom; simple and lovely.

But that was wishful thinking.

Not only was his best friends and uncle heading for the battlefield without him, but he also had to endure the humiliation of being mistaken for a girl, as well as being forced to go through the trials that came with marriage preparation for females in order to marry a man he hadn't even met.

He sighed, his fingers loosening.

_: Could my life get any worse? :_

Fallen blush pink petals drifted lazily down the river, drifting across the crystal clear surface; out of sight, out of mind.

**Juànzhóu Jiéshù**

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_Chapter Title: Juànzhóu Yīge: Kāishǐ – Scroll One: The Beginning_

_Juànzhóu Jiéshù – Scroll End_

_Han Dynasty – 206 BC – 220 AD (supposedly when 'Mulan' takes place; if this is wrong, please tell me!)_

_Chingsam – is this what you'd call Rei's outfit? I heard it mentioned like this before…._

_Bai Hu cunzhuang – something like 'White Tiger Village'_

_Xiongdi – brother_

_Meimei – younger sister_

_Shushu – uncle_

_Note: The five constellations are in Mandarin Chinese._

_!Some of this isn't historically correct!_

A/N: Did it seem too quick? Did it make any sense?

Meeep! I swear, Kai'll be here next chapter! O-O –dodges thrown things-


	2. Juànzhóu Èr: Hēi sè Hăiguī Dào!

A/N: And here we have it, minna-san: the much anticipated (not really) second chapter.

(Disclaimer) I don't own Bakuten Shoot, China, or the Chinese constellations. Though admittedly, it would be pretty cool!

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Juànzhóu Èr: Hēi sè Hăiguī Dào!

_Xuan Wu, the black tortoise… _

_Many referred to it as the 'Warrior of the North', and as a symbol of longevity; this spurred the trend of turtle-shaped pendants of jade._

_The winter constellation was rather easy-going, certainly more than his opposite, Zu Que, but there wasn't any room for fun and games now, not since he had been given this particular assignment._

_The water element thought back to a mere hour ago, when he had been entrusted with this particular task, placed upon him by the other three constellations…_

"_You know why we've been called together." The figure of Zu Que was scarcely distinguishable from the midnight sky, the tiny glow from dozens upon dozens of stars was the only source of light that betrayed his presence. _

"_It's true then…" Qing Long groaned, rubbing his temples, "He really has vanished."_

_Huang Long snapped, "Duh! You should've been able to tell the moment his energy faded!"_

"_I knew that! I just… wanted to make sure!"_

"_Yeah, sure!" the central constellation scoffed._

_As the two dragons squabbled, Zu Que crossed his arms and sighed in frustration, turning to the only other responsible figure._

"_Xuan Wu,it looks like it's all up to you; I have matters of my own to tend to, and these two," he jerked a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the gold and blue forms, now determined to beat the crap out of each other, "aren't going to be of much help."_

_The black tortoise nodded solemnly; though they were all essentially equal, Zu Que was the most responsible, and often took the role of leader._

"_I understand." _

_While the vermillion bird turned to break up the other two, the representative of the north trekked through the darkness._

_He knew that their situation was dire, and the consequences were great; the mortal world was wrought with innumerable perils. But it was his responsibility._

_A dark shadow was being cast on the world of the living, preparing to engulf all that is in darkness. And it was his responsibility to counter the outstretched hand of his enemy, and to rescue his fallen friend: Bai Hu._

**Zuìhòu Shíjiān…**

_

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_

/Not only was his best friends and uncle heading for the battlefield without him, but he also had to endure the humiliation of being mistaken for a girl, as well as being forced to go through the trials that came with marriage preparation for females in order to marry a man he hadn't even met.

_He sighed, his fingers loosening._

: Could my life get any worse? :

_Fallen blush pink petals drifted lazily down the river, drifting across the crystal clear surface; out of sight, out of mind./_

* * *

It was early morning when Rei woke, feeling as though he hadn't slept a bit at all last night; he felt as if he was missing out on something, something important.

Groggily, he slid out of his bed, unraveling the messy braid that was his hair.

The first rays of dawn were peeking softly from outside the window, casting a gentle orang-ish glow on his fair skin, as well as his white sleeping tunic and black trousers.

He shuffled to his chest of clothing, pulling out his favorite white chingsam and red sash, as well as his black training trousers, and instead of the usual white tube he used to tie back his beloved hair, he chose a simple red ribbon; he was focusing on comfort today.

The bath wasn't far from his room, so he didn't have to walk that great of a distance; still, it took a small toll on his still-weary body. Padding down the hallway, silently, with the exception of the small slap of his feet coming in contact with cool wood, he was pleased when he only stumbled once from drowsiness; until his body hit water, he appeared to be a zombie.

In about five minutes time, the teenager had drawn the water for his bath, and heated it, before he was able to sink into the hot soothing depths the tub provided.

He sighed, already relaxing under the watery heat, and leaned back against the wooden barrel's sides.

_: Now what am I going to do…:_ he thought bitterly, _: I could tell Rai and the others about my 'engagement', but…:_

Another sigh escaped his lips; how could he tell his friends, who were guys, that he was betrothed, and had been since before he could walk!

Well, at least Mao would provide some comfort; one 'girl' to another.

Slowly, the raven-haired teenager slid deeper into the placid, steaming depths, stopping when the water was right below his deep golden eyes.

He huffed, causing many small bubbles to rush to the water's surface, as he mused over his options.

Rai and the others would find out eventually, the villagers weren't a secretive lot, so he didn't have much of a choice…

"Damn it."

Rai's reaction was as expected.

Rei mentally cursed himself, while his best friend roared with laughter, grabbing onto a willow tree for support.

His yellow and green-lined tunic stretched over his body as a tan hand reached up and gripped a branch to steady himself, his black necklace clacking slightly at the movement.

The older male had come to visit him, after _claiming_ he had done his chores, to help him with his own morning tasks.

So, together, they had tromped off into the gardens, nudging a few straw chickens out of their pathway every now and then.

The greenery that surrounded them was simple, yet lovely, especially at this time of year. The lotus blossoms were in full bloom, accenting the lush, emerald-green grass with small, delicate petals of blush pink. The pond, complete with a small, red bridge, was bursting with life; from the occasional visiting heron, down to the small cluster of large, bright colored koi fish swimming lazily about.

"Shut. Up!" the peeved one seethed, tossing a handful of chicken feed at his childhood friend.

The elder Wong wiped the tears from his eyes on the deep-green sleeve of his shirt, brushing the feed out of his hair shortly after.

"Sorry man, but it's still pretty funny; I still can't believe that moron from the capital thought you were a _girl_!"

This time, he got a chicken thrown in his face.

"Gyaa!"

He fought with the poultry for a minute or two, grabbing the bird by the legs and tossing it off to the side.

When the feathers had floated out of his line of sight, Rei had already hung the cloth sack of chicken feed on a peg within the nearby stable.

"C'mon oh mighty chicken warrior, Shushu's already at the teahouse; maybe Mao'll be there too."

Rai rolled his eyes, falling into step beside the shorter male as they wound their way through the gardens of the Kon household, "And here I thought you didn't have a thing for her."

Rei was silent , seemingly in thought.

"Rai."

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

"… So… cruel."

"I'm sorry for the wait; here's the jasmine you ordered."

The man seated at the small wooden table waved his hand carelessly, brushing off the request of forgiveness, "It's nothing, Rei; you're uncle has the best tea in the whole village."

Though there were a few village women working as waitresses at the tea house, Rei also did his fair share, free of charge, for his uncle; how else would they buy necessities? And, for his show of respect and cheery attitude towards customers, Rei was a favorite; it showed by the tips he received, though he expected nothing.

Today, there were only two of them working on the floor, Shushu worked in the kitchen of course, and the shop was getting a steady stream of customers; Noon was often a busy time anyway, when many men often had lunch before returning to their work of plowing fields, forging weaponry for the army, and so on.

Large golden orbs closed joyfully, "But of course! I-" just then, he spotted Rai, who was sitting in a far corner of the shop, motioned for him to come, "I'll come by for the bill in a minute; please excuse me."

With quick-sure steps, he marched over to his rice-munching friend (Rai rarely came here without snagging a bite or two), loosening the strings of his red and gold apron as he approached.

'Rai," he hissed, "What do you want?"

A big goofy grin was plastered onto the other ravenette's face, seeming as though an attempt had been made to conceal it, but ended in vain.

"It's not me who wants you," he jerked a thumb towards the door, "Mao."

Lo and behold, his friend's pink-haired sister stood sedately at the door frame, observing the two boys with calm golden eyes. Her deceivingly delicate hands were folded one across the other in front of her innocently, against the fabric of her usual pink and white-lined dress.

Feeling a bit confused, though he didn't show it, the Kon made his way through the maze of tables and people, motioning to his co-worker that he was going out for five minutes.

"What's up?" he asked in undertone.

Mao didn't look uncomfortable, but she also wasn't her usual cheery self.

"Do you… have a minute?"

He nodded promptly, following her out into the street.

Rai never noticed a thing, so enraptured in his food was he.

She had led him just outside the village gates, to a field of wildflowers; there was a slight breeze today, one that caused the plants to sway methodically, captivatingly.

The last-surviving Wong woman crouched, picking a random flower and fiddling with it absently.

"Rai told me about your engagement."

Rei took a moment to collect his thoughts before replying.

"Are you upset? I mean, it's not like I wanted this either."

Mao shifted to where she could look up at him, blinking owlishly.

"Upset? Of course not! I merely wanted to tell you, the matchmaking ceremony is tomorrow."

This time, Rei blinked.

"….. Aaand?"

Mao sighed in exasperation, getting to her feet so she could stare straight into her friends eyes, "What do you mean 'and?'? You have to get ready! I honestly doubt you meet all the requirements of a proper wife."

"But, why would I want to? I've never met this guy, and I really don't want to marry him; if there's a way to get out of this engagement, I'll take it!"

The female tugged in his hands impatiently, "But Rei, if you fail, you'll forever disgrace your family! What about your parents, who did this only for your sake? What about your uncle, how could you bear to dishonor him?"

From a man's point of view, this was hard to relate to, but he supposed getting hitched was a respectable thing for a woman to do; and, as a 'woman' he should probably learn to see things from this feminine perspective. Quickly.

"Can you teach me?" he asked weakly, unsure if this was a safe thing to do.

Apparently not, for Mao's bright eyes gleamed even more. In determination, she clenched her fist, bringing up to her face.

"I swear by the Great White Tiger; I'll make you the greatest bride ever!"

Rei's eyes widened; then he groaned.

This was going to be a long day.

Rei's 'bridal lessons' began as soon as possible; they had asked his uncle if he could have the rest of the day off, first. The middle-aged man had laughed heartily (along with Rai) and agreed, much to Rei's dismay.

Not a moment later, Mao had grabbed his hand and drug him down the street to her family's compound, accidentally bumping into a passerby on the way.

"Ah, I'm sorry!" Rei apologized, looking back at the back of the cloaked figure; there was no reply.

The garden of the Wong family was tended to carefully, and it was obvious, as everything was harmonious.

The pond, although large by itself, appeared small when placed next to one lone willow tree. Leading up to the small temple dedicated to Mao's ancestors where a few small stone benches, placed within a certain distance of each other, but still managing to seem as though the scene wasn't stiff and coordinated as one might think; the stone steps of the pathway was as seemingly random.

They stopped their hard pace at the edge of the pond, whose surface was flecked with many delicate lily pads, a single magnificent lotus bloom placed at the center of each green leaf.

"And so," Mao said dramatically, "it begins."

Bright golden sunlight cascaded onto his slumbering face, bathing it in a warm glow. Try as he might, the ravenette could not escape the glaring light from under his eyelids.

He woke from his bed with a jolt; the next few minutes were spent on figuring out why he was so shaky.

Then, it hit him like a bolting horse: Today's the day.

Rei groaned softly, sitting up in his bed and cradling his head in his hands; Mao's crash course left him feeling as though she had really crashed into him. There had been much to teach in such a short time, and it was that that left him nauseous.

_: I need to hurry into town… :_ he thought bitterly, pressing his lips to his drawn-up knees, which were hidden from him by the light blue fabric of his blankets; there was no escape from his destiny.

With a defeated sigh, he crawled from under his bed sheets, and towards the bath.

"You're late!" Mao cried, when he came jogging into the designated building; she was flanked by two eager-looking women, who he assumed, where responsible to seeing that the girls left for the matchmaker reasonably-dressed.

In fact, Mao was already ready, with her bright-colored hair tied up in a bun, ornamented with a jade comb. Dark green robes covered her form, held together by a wide green wrap and blush-pink sash; the sleeves were long and billowy, giving her an elegant look.

To top it all off, her face was powdered until it was nearly snow pale, setting off the green paint above her eyes and the deep red on her lips.

She eased the green shawl off her shoulders wearily, preparing for the task at hand.

"Sorry," Rei panted, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath, "I l-lost track of the… time."

Mao 'hmph-ed', then drug him behind a rice paper screen, tugging at his clothes as she went.

"Hey! What are you _doing_?" the late-arriving one's face was bright red, as he struggled futilely against the three women, fighting desperately to keep his clothes on his body.

"Hold still!" the pink-haired girl hissed, shoving her now-nude friend into a tub of cold, perfumed water.

"Gaaaah!"

Mao huffed, "Tch. Baby."

She then motioned her two companions forward, both armed with a brush, and she with a wash rag. Once lovely golden eyes now took on a crazed-look, paralyzing Rei (who was still attempting to escape) with fear.

"Now hold still Rei; this won't hurt a bit!"

Somehow, he really doubted that.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Rai, Kiki and Gao jerked awake at the strangely familiar blood-curdling scream; they had came here (pretty damn early) to see the 'girls' off, but…

"W-what's she _doing_ to him?" Kiki asked nervously, hiding behind Gao's huge form.

Rai looked just as frightened, "I don't know, and I don't want to find out!"

Quickly, the three scurried away from the small building, by-passing an approaching teen their own age.

If that guy didn't know the potential hazards that lay inside, that was _his_ problem.

"Hold still!"

Rei wished he had a fish for every time he'd heard _that _today.

At the moment, he was clad in a simple white robe, while the girls were all brushing his- admittedly gorgeous- long hair.

So far, they had managed to set it into two buns, set side by side at the back of his head, with two long strands dangling from it. They had tied it back with a loop of deep-red beads, and finished with an ornate pink lotus pin.

He knew it was wishful thinking, but he couldn't help but ask.

"Can I go now?"

"NO!"

Mentally sobbing, the tiger-loving man allowed himself to be drug away into another room of torture.

Outside the house of pain, a cloaked figure stood before it, gazing up at the structure thoughtfully.

_: This has to be the place… :_ he thought to himself, relenting a smile when he heard the screams from within.

_: Now I'm sure of it! :_

Without another thought, he invited himself inside.

"Alright Rei, if you find that you can't breath, tell me!"

The Kon boy, who stood on a small stool in the middle of the room, draped in soft red robes covered with a gold waist wrap, looked at her in confusion, "Say wha- ahh!"

Two of the three females had taken hold of either side of the black sash that tied the outfit off and pulled. Hard.

Wheezing and gasping for breath, Rei hunched over and glared at his friend, "Is it too late to tell you, now that I have three broken ribs?"

Mao smiled softly at her suffering friend, "You're over exaggerating. No come on, so we can fini-"

Just then, a teenaged boy, clad in a black tunic and matching pants with a dark blue sash, stepped through the door.

He certainly looked outlandish, in Rei's opinion, but kind-hearted; never had he seen bright yellow hair such as this, nor the cute freckles stringing across the boy's cheeks. However, the new-comer possessed wide, innocent bright blue eyes, as clear as the ponds in winter-time.

Mao took a step toward the boy, puzzled.

"Can I… help you?"

Cheerfully, the unidentified intruder rocked back and forth on his heels, "I was sent by the matchmaker from the east to assist someone named Rei. You see, I'm from the matchmaker where his fiancée lives."

The pink-haired girl narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but permitted him to stay.

"Then, if you don't mind, we're going to finish this up now."

The blond merely nodded, seeming content with bouncing up and down on his toes.

Mao then chose to ignore him, and bade Rei to sit upon a mat on the floor, while she pulled out a paintbrush, several jars, and a large piece of cloth.

"Alright, this is it;" She told him, "after this, you're done."

Excited at this prospect, the boy encouraged her, "Well, hurry it up! Then I can get out of here!"

Mao rolled her eyes, but smiled.

"Geez, don't worry about it Rei," she teased, "you'll look great."

Carefully, and with the help of the two older women, the Wong girl powdered her 'victim's' face, until it was as pale as her own.

She then proceeded with the small jars placed beside her, opening one of them. The first was the same shade as the dress Rei wore; with this, she colored the boy's eyelids. The second was a darker red, which she used to paint his lips.

"There. Now we can leave!"

Rei took the black shawl he was offered; his feelings were mixed. On one hand, he was glad to be done with all of the gussying up; however, he still had to approach the matchmaker, and his inevitable fate.

Slowly he stood, making his way toward the door with Mao at his side.

The blond from the west took the offered parasols from the two older women, before following the 'girls' out.

The space around the matchmakers' building was always crowded at times like this, packed with many well-wishing family and friends, or just those who were bored.

Among this queue were Rei's uncle, Mao's grandfather, Rai, Kiki and Gao.

"Whoo! Nock 'em, dead, Rei!" Rai shouted enthusiastically.

Rei flushed, but snickered with Mao; any humor at all would distract him from his nervousness.

Then he, Mao, and a handful of other girls took their places; a line in front of the matchmaker's doorway, each 'girl' crouched, hidden beneath their bright, opened parasols.

With a loud thump, a portly, strict-looking woman appeared on the scene. She quickly whipped out a sheaf of paper, consulting it.

"Kon Rei?"

Slowly, as gracefully as he could, Rei got to his feet, closing his parasol with a snap.

Wordlessly, he followed the purple-clad woman into the building (she closed the door behind them).

The first room was small, with a table, tea brazier, and four or so fat purple cushions.

"You. Sit there." She commanded, pointing to a cushion in front of the table.

Dutifully, Rei did as he was told, not even daring to ask questions when the haughty woman left the room.

"Scary woman, isn't she?"

With a yelp, Rei turned around to find the blond easterner standing casually behind him.

_: I didn't even see him come in... :_

"How did you…? Never mind. Ah, we never got to meet properly before." He bowed, "I am Kon Rei."

The blond returned the gesture.

Not missing a beat, he happily replied, "Mizuhara Max."

"Maxi?"

'Max' blinked in confusion, "Umm, sure!"

This time, it was Rei who was confused, but he shrugged.

_: What a strange name. :_

When he snapped out of his thoughts, he found that Max had simply vanished without a trace.

_: Maybe he's in another room: _

But he no longer had the time to think freely; the matchmaker had entered once more, a teapot and teacup in hand. She glared at him critically.

"One must be poised and elegant at all times," she preached, placing her burden upon the table, "to bring honor to your husband, and respect to your in-laws."

Silently, Rei lifted the teapot, ready to fill the cup, when something caught his eye.

There, by the brazier, was a tiny black turtle, edging its way to the matchmaker's dress.

The wary neko-jin filled the cup as he was instructed, but he was focused on the turtle, watching it out of the corner of his eye.

By the time the strict woman was sipping her tea, the little animal had made it to its destination (he moved pretty fast!), and was now moving between the lady's feet.

_: If she steps on it… : _

He could see it now, the matchmaker flailing as she fell upon the table, smashing the china beneath her, and burning herself on the tea's heat.

_: I can't let that happen. :_

Carefully, he inched his hand toward the creature, taking extreme caution not to alert the unsuspecting woman.

He was almost there, just a few more inches….

But to his horror, the matchmaker made to move forward, tripping over his hand. The turtle was sent flying, having been on the hem of her dress.

Rei jumped up, feigning surprise, and caught the animal, then made to catch the falling woman.

However, she was now falling backwards, having altered her previous course by means of her flailing.

In his haste, his knees jammed against the table, moving it so the matchmaker hit the corner of it, causing the other side to lift up. Unfortunately, when the table had moved, it had also gotten closer to the brazier, so now, the impact had sent burning hot coals flying everywhere. Those that landed upon the cushions quickly caught flame, beginning to spread to the others, and even the building itself.

The woman was bruised from her fall, but not to where she couldn't vacate the burning building on her own. Rei followed right behind her.

Once they had gotten outside, Rei quickly rushed into his uncle's outstretched arms, turning away from the boiling red face of the matchmaker.

There was a loud, harsh exchange of words between Shushu and matchmaker, merely a buzz in Rei's ear with the roar of the fire.

Rai, Gao, Kiki and a few others, were trying to extinguish the inferno, having turned to any surrounding shops that had water for them to throw upon the flames; it had taken fifteen minutes to put out.

Though he was a little dizzy from his ordeal, Max, who was sitting atop a fish monger's shop, couldn't help but grin. The first phase of his plan was going _perfectly_.

Perhaps he'd buy some sweets later to celebrate…

The blond was torn out of his thoughts when Rei's fiancee's actual representative -he had arrived after Max took his identity- confronted Rei and his uncle. Though he was a good distance away, he was still able to make out the last part of the conversation.

"-still wishes to marry Rei."

Max's eyes widened, his mouth agape; he couldn't believe it.

_: He still wants to marry Rei…:_

A deep pang of worry struck Max; his task had suddenly taken a turn for the worse.

**Juànzhóu Jiéshù**

**

* * *

**

_Chapter Title: Juànzhóu Èr: Hēi sè Hăiguī Dào! – Scroll Two: The Black Tortoise Arrives!_

_Zuìhòu Shíjiān… - Last time…_

_Juànzhóu Jiéshù – Scroll End_

_Maxi – circus; 'Maxi' is the closest thing to 'Max', so Rei thinks that his name is 'circus'….._

A/N: Yay! Max is here! XD (and so is Kai, if you squint).

I had intended to reveal Rei's fiancee' at the end of this chapter, but…. U I guess you have to wait until the 7th.

I was the one who mostly came up with the clothes, seeing as I thought a pink dress would clash too much on Mao, and not look so great on Rei; just go along with it! XD

And, I'll admit it: most of the matchmaking part I got from 'Mulan'; so spear me already! XP


	3. Juànzhóu Sān: Yuēhuì

A/N: Hey, minna-san! In case you were concerned(?), I am indeed still alive.

Anyway, since I'm way late, I'm probably out of the KaReWave contest; but, nonetheless, I'll continue this to the end!

And, Happy (belated!) Valentines Day everyone! XD

**

* * *

**

Juànzhóu Sān: Yuēhuì

_Zu Que, the vermillion bird..._

_Well-known as the element of fire, Zu Que represented the summer season, as well as the south._

_Unlike the other constellations, the vermillion bird was more dignified in nature, and put more thought into his actions; he was far less spontaneous, and was responsible. Thus, the other four constellations came to him for advice._

_But now, he began to question his sense of judgment; Xuan Wu had been sent to the mortal world three days ago! Surely he could have completed his assignment already. In fact, Zu Que himself had descended upon the mortals shortly before he imparted the assignment, to make sure that all was well enough for the black turtle to fulfill his duties._

_Then again, Xuan Wu was known to goof off…_

_Sighing in frustration, the bird of the south rubbed his temples; his desperation increased when Huang Long and Qing Long burst in, squabbling as usual._

"_That was _my _rice cake!"_

"_Well, if you didn't eat it yesterday, you sure as hell weren't going to eat it now!"_

"_I was saving it for a special occasion!"_

"_Sure, sure; there's never anything special going on up here!"_

"_Why I-"_

"_Would you two be quiet?" Zu Que snapped, slamming his palms upon his wooden desk. _

_The two dragons stood in silence, both eyeing the other constellation warily; Zu Que didn't lose his temper often._

_Qing Long then broke the silence, "So, is Xuan Wu back yet? Did he get Bai Hu?"_

"_Yeah, and why are you pissy today?"_

_Zu Que's sharp garnet eyes gleamed menacingly as he stared cold and hard at the two; they gulped, realizing their mistake a tad too late._

"_No, I haven't heard a word from Xuan Wu; actually, I might need to go myself to the mortal world. And if I do, the two of you don't do anything obnoxious; you just sit there, and bicker, but you don't mess with_ anything_. Understood?"_

_He remained at his desk until both dragons had nodded numbly._

"_Good; I'll be back by tomorrow."_

_That said, the bird of fire swept up to the doorway, drawing a long traveling cloak around his shoulders._

_Qing Long and Huang Long remained dead silent until he had shut the door firmly behind him; then heard the tell-tale sounds of arguing._

_: Morons, no wonder it was Bai Hu whom I got along with; at least he acted like he had _sense

_He stared down at the world of the living in deep longing, his deep red eyes scanning all he could see._

_: Don't worry, I'll protect you… :_

* * *

**Zuìhòu Shíjiān…**

_/The blond was torn out of his thoughts when Rei's fiancee's representative confronted Rei and his uncle. Though he was a good distance away, he was still able to make out the last part of the conversation._

"_-still wishes to marry Rei." _

_Max's eyes widened, his mouth agape; he couldn't believe it._

_: He still wants to marry Rei…:_

_A deep pang of worry struck Max; his task had suddenly taken a turn for the worse./_

* * *

"Truly? Even after he set the building on fire? Forgive me for saying so, but is your master.. um.. well?"

From off to the side, Rei crossed his arms haughtily and huffed, "Gee. Thanks a lot, Shushu."

"I thought you didn't want to get married…!" the older Kon hissed from behind his hand.

"Yes, but I still have pride!"

Shushu laughed nervously as he turned back to the representative, "So, is your master certain that he wants to marry _Rei_ of all people?"

The staunch personage 'hmph'-ed and nodded, "Why else would he plan to meet you tomorrow?"

Both Kon's choked on their spit and gagged, "T-tomorrow?"

The older man's mustache ruffled in perturbance, "Yes, to discuss the wedding."

Rei laughed; surely this was a joke! He had just (spectacularly) failed his matchmaking ceremony, and his fiancée still wanted to marry him? They haven't even met (yet)! He really didn't like all of these surprises that had been sprung on him lately.

From the crowd, Rai could make out Rei's uneasiness (why else would he be cackling like a loon?); and it disturbed him (hell, it disturbed _everybody_).

The nervousness seemed to radiate from Rei, spreading like a shadow to over encumber Rai; reminding him of all the doubts and fears he harbored; dying in battle, losing his friends, losing Rei, his brother of sorts, to a man he didn't even know, who would control nearly every aspect of Rei's life, and force him to live far from the village of his birth.

_: I don't want that to happen, but… :_ he had no right to object to the marriage; it wasn't his place.

Especially when he had yet to find a proper husband for Mao, and wasn't expected to live much longer. But that was too depressing to think about; at least Gao and Kiki would be with him. Rei would have no one.

Once Shushu Kon began to lead the representative away to his home, the crowd that had formed began to disperse. Rai immediately headed for Rei, keeping his childhood friend from following his elders by means of grabbing his wrist.

Carefully, he leaned over the slightly shorter form, to where his lips nearly touched the small, pointed ear.

"We need to talk." He whispered.

Rei pulled back slightly, gazing up into his smoldering golden eyes, searching. Though he said nothing, his face remained somber, and he pushed back his sleeves and grabbed his parasol, following Rai's lead silently.

From atop a building, Max watched in interest as the two villagers meandered throughout their hometown, making their way to their favorite meeting place outside the village walls. The squatting foreign male reached into his robes and pulled out a piece of hard candy, popping it into his mouth.

"So," he said calmly, sucking on the sweet, "you're here now, huh Zu Que? Guess you got tired of waiting."

A wide grin split his freckled face, "Things are about to get interesting…!"

After they had left the wooden gates of the village, Rei immediately hitched up the hem of his robes well above his knees, allowing him the freedom of leg room that he was used to having with his pants. He walked a few more yards before perching on a large boulder, propping his legs out in front of him in a most unlady-like manner.

"So… what's up? It has to important; you didn't even bring the other three."

Rai sighed and ran a tanned hand roughly through his hair. He appeared agitated, and a bit nervous, as he paced back and forth in front of his life-long friend.

"Rai…?"

The youngest Wong male spun on his heel, revealing deep, golden eyes laced with anguish.

"Rei, you know I leave tomorrow…"

The betrothed teen yanked at his long, flowing hair, releasing it from the bun it was previously styled in, and began to tie it into a braid with a red ribbon.

"I know; I'm going with you."

"Yes, and- _what?_" the one clad in green clenched his fists and stood firmly before his friend, a stubborn scowl gracing his features, "You're meeting your fiancée tomorrow! And besides, your uncle would recognize you a mile away at the camp!"

"I know, I know!" Rei hissed, rubbing his forehead in exasperation, "I just… It's not fair! I'm a guy as much as the rest of you, so I should get to fight! Just because some idiotic, hoity-toity, stuck up little bastard can't tell a …"

As calmly as he could, Rai held up a hand for silence. "I know it's not fair, but it can't be helped. You were destined to marry a well-off man from the East, not die upon the battlefield. But maybe, later on, you might be able to visit Mao every now and then; you know, watch over her and everything."

Rei glared at his best friend in silent anger, drilling an imaginary hole using his eyes through his friend's skull.

"Because, if me, Gao and Kiki don't make it, she'll need a shoulder to cry on; someone to keep her going."

At this, Rei's cold exterior began to soften; Rai had never been so… _depressing_ before.

Rai continued, "And you'll need someone familiar to talk to, to keep you company in your new home."

_: Where's he going with this:_ Rei wondered, watching as Rai turned his back to him.

Out of the blue, the older man let out a short bark of humorless laughter, "It's going to be the crappiest wedding gift you receive, but…"

With great care, he unclasped the claw necklace from around his neck, presenting it to the long-haired one, "It's all I have."

Rei gasped, a soft sound amongst the gentle rustle of the wind in the trees; the item before him had been Rai's good luck charm since they were children.

"But Rai –"

The young warrior smiled sadly, "It's something to remember me bye, since this is the last day we'll see each other."

"What -?"

Rai plopped himself down beside his companion, pressing his necklace into Rei's hand.

"Gao, Kiki and I have decided to leave early tomorrow morning; your uncle'll follow after he gets everything straightened out with your fiancée."

Rei sat motionless, absorbing the new information as calmly as he could.

"Then," he began slowly, "I guess this is good bye. "

_: After seventeen years… :_

Rai leaned back, supporting his weight upon his hands, which were pressed against the cool stone.

"Yeah; I'll take you home, and then I'll be gone for good."

The wind picked up then, blowing a tad harder than it had previously.

The last few hours of their time together was spent in calm, thoughtful, quiet.

Rei's Shushu said nothing when he came home well after dusk that night; he only looked up once, then bent over the sword he was polishing and continued to scrub it vigorously.

It seemed as if he had been working at this for quite some time, sitting cross-legged at the small table, working by the light provided by a single burning candle.

The youngest Kon was halfway out of the living room (he was going to scrub off his make-up) when the young adult finally spoke.

"You have a guest, Rei."

It was said so plainly, that Rei was almost unable to digest his meaning.

"Who is it?" he called from the washroom, where he began to attack his face with a damp cloth.

"Mao; she's waiting in your room."

_: Thanks for telling me, Shushu… : _he thought blandly.

So, after scrubbing the white rice powder from his face, the young, weary neko-jin trudged down the lantern-lit hallway to his small bedroom, where the bright pink of Mao's hair glowed in the candle light.

"Sorry to bother you." She murmured, focusing intently upon a small sheaf of paper from her position on the floor.

"No problem; I know it's gotta be hard for you right now."

The female smiled sadly, finally breaking her gaze from the small scroll she was reading.

"Rei, I need your help."

Just by looking into her eyes, ones filled with anguish and determination, he understood what she wanted to do.

"Mao, if you're caught, you could be killed." His tone was soft and understanding, but mentally, he was shaken to the core; he knew Mao had considered this, but…!

The pink-haired one's eyes narrowed, "I know what's at stake, Rei. But I'd rather die with my brother, fighting off those damned invaders, than sit here and do nothing! We've never fought alone, none of us have, and I'm not going to start now! Since you can't be there, I'll take your place, and fight for the both of us!"

Rei shook his head, causing his braid to swing from side to side, "No you're not; I'm coming too."

Mao's stony expression didn't falter, but her voice cracked, "It's bad enough that _I'm _going! But if _you_ come…"

"I'll also die; but I'm actually male, so I don't see how they can punish me! Mao, we decided ever since we were exempted from this war: we're both going to fight; we're not going to let our friends die alone."

Numbly, the girl nodded.

"Now," Rei smiled, flashing off a tiny, pointed fang, "let me go get a few things so we can color your hair!"

She couldn't help but crack a smile; in the end, things were exactly as they'd always been.

"Alright, we're almost done..!" Rei sang cheerfully, nearly an hour later, brushing through Mao's once-pink hair.

In front of him, Mao sat on her knees, holding a hand mirror before her so she could watch the dye process. She didn't know how Rei had done it, but her hair was now pitch-black; she could easily have passed for Rei's twin sister.

"And I'll give you some of my clothes; I think you'll be a little too suspicious if you go into a training camp in a pink dress."

She laughed, "Thanks, Rei; this means a lot."

"No problem! And besides, if I left you behind, you'd just rat me out!"

She nodded, running a hand through her new hair, "Yup, I don't like to be left behind."

Rei bustled around, fooling with stuff in the bamboo chests that held his belongings.

"Now, that stuff in your hair'll wear off after you wash it a few times, so take this with you."

He pressed a small vial of a dark brown liquid into her palm.

"You got the directions to the camp?"

Mao nodded, tucking the bottle into her dress, "I snuck a peek at Rai's letter and I copied it down."

She flourished the scroll she had been inspecting when he had first arrived, then set it with the vial.

Rei grinned toothily and handed her a stack of clothes, "Then we'll meet up after lunch, when I get away from my darling husband-to-be, and we'll set off for the camp."

The girl nodded and pulled up the hood on her traveling cloak. This was in order to conceal her face from any nighttime strollers who might grow suspicious of her new look.

"Shushu's probably gone to bed already, so you should go unnoticed; Rai's said his goodbye's to everyone and will leave at the crack of dawn. If Kiki and Gao see you, they won't say anything, so you should be fine."

Mao nodded for the last time, and embraced Rei in a tight hug, "Thanks a lot Rei; you're a great guy. Too bad I'm not going to marry you!"

Rei rolled his eyes and pushed her gently to the door, "Yeah, we'd only marry as a last resort, I'm sure; and we'd only be friends."

The girl chuckled good-naturedly and pulled back with a small wave.

"Then, I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Yeah, tomorrow."

He watched her from his window until her shadowy form had passed the gates of the compound.

Sluggishly, he tromped to his bed and jumped in; he was too tired to change.

Rei's dreams were usually those of simple things; such as lotus blooms drifting lazily atop a pond or of a field of wildflowers, with many bright-colored butterfly's filling the sky. It always had something to do with nature, but to a degree of the highest beauty that could possibly be imagined, in a seemingly ethereal plane of existence. It seemed corny – Rai always laughed when the two had shared their dreams as children -, but things had always been that way.

And though his current dream included all of these things, there was also something new. This time, a figure - looking remarkably like him - was standing in a breathtaking garden, standing at a pond's edge; the man was clad in long, flowing robes of purest white, his skin being almost as pale. As the wind blew, long, silky strands of black hair played in the breeze, fanning the lengths out upon the breeze. To complete the effect, a pair of soft white ears peeked from his dark hair, making him appear like a living symbol of yin and yang.

Suddenly, a strong, yet gentle hand reached out and caressed his cheek, cupping the man's face lovingly. Using his other hand, the newcomer held the one in white close, creating a beautiful rainbow of reds, oranges, yellows and white, as both figures robes billowed out.

The man in the colors of flames had short, dual-colored hair; light, grayish blue atop a dark blue base. When Rei thought about it, it seemed as though the colors should clash, but when his eyes fell upon the figure, it all blended in nicely. And, to round off the effect, the dashing man had deep, ruby red eyes, like a pool of liquid fire. He, like the other man, had a strange appendage; however, his came in the form of strong, fiery wings.

Slowly, the two figures drew impossibly closer, entwining their bodies, meeting at the lips in a soft, feather light kiss.

For reasons unknown to him, Rei's heart soared, as if he himself could taste the hot, sweet kisses that the white robed man was receiving.

It was as if the gods themselves were singing, as the two drew back, sharing a tender embrace; their affection for one another spreading far and wide over the garden, and beyond.

But it all came to an end, when a dark miasma began to build up on the horizon, poisoning all that it touched. The love-struck couple clung to each other desperately, the man of fire positioning himself between his love and the growing storm, as if challenging the darkness.

And, to Rei's disbelief, another person entered the scene; this new man, wearing robes of deepest blue, seemed to have formed from within the black and purple miasma, and stood before the man in red. Despite having his eyes closed, he managed to look smug.

The one in blue had short black hair, with an undertone of sky blue in a style very much, though not exactly, like the man of flames. And, when he opened his eyes at last, bright eyes of orange flashed dangerously, as if taunting his… twin? Dark blue wings extending from his shoulder blades fluttered casually in the wind, which had begun to pick up ominously.

Those same eyes, however, turned dark and lusty upon spotting the neko-jin.

The being of fire was obviously pissed, for he spread his wings, leaping into the air and fiercely falling upon the one in blue, striking harshly with a lethal-looking sword. His teeth were bared angrily, as if he were growling, though Rei couldn't hear a sound.

The man in blue seemed to have anticipated this, as he drew a sword of his own, deflecting the attack casually.

The cat-person shouted something at the two as they began to fight savagely, flying at speeds too quickly for Rei to properly see.

Disturbingly graceful, the twin-opposites flew in a spiral formation around one another, high into the sky, their weaponry glinting in the light of fast-approaching lightening.

Then, the two males drew back their swords in a high arc, thrusting their weapons swiftly at one another's hearts.

"No… Zu Que! Fenghuang!"

Then all went black.

He woke up panting, covered in sweat. Groaning, Rei sat up in his bed, rubbing his temples in order to rid of his building headache; it had to be late.

_: Who was that, crying out? And those names…. :_

He racked his brain, absorbing all he had 'seen'; it was too odd for a simple mortal teenager to grasp.

_: Maybe I'm just nervous about tomorrow, and my brain's going off in la-la land to help make me calm…. Or drive me insane. :_

And yet, the dream had seemed so _real_; as if he himself had been there.

Too worn out for words, Rei snuggled back into his blankets, and drifted off to sleep once more.

The next morning was filled with awkward silence as Rei set out breakfast for himself and his uncle. Today, he wore an ornate red chingsam, embroidered with a golden phoenix and tied with a black sash; this was encouraged by his Shushu, who said it was always good to make a successful first impression. However, he flat out refused to do anything special with his hair, and had tied it back in his usual white tube; who cared if Shushu said it didn't match!

Shushu was already wearing a grey gi and black pants in preparation for camp, which he would leave for as soon as the details of Rei's wedding had been worked out.

As they were eating, they heard a rap at the door. Shushu made to answer, but Rei beat him to it.

"Gao! Kiki!"

Kiki, perched on Gao's broad shoulder waved cheerfully, "'Morning!"

"Can we come in for breakfast?" Gao's deep baritone rumbled; he licked his chops in anticipation.

Rei laughed, happy to have a break in the nervous silence from before; trust Gao and Kiki to do that.

When the new arrivals had tucked into their morning meal and gotten some food in their stomachs, they had been more open to conversation.

"Yuh, um…" Kiki started thickly, through a mouthful of rice, "We faw your 'usban's caravan comin' up ova' da mount'n's."

_Then_ he chose to swallow.

"He should be here in an hour."

"Wonderful, then we can finish up the wedding arrangements." Shushu replied, sipping his tea.

Gao looked depressed, "So then… you're really moving away, Rei?"

The neko-jin looked at his two moping friends somberly, and snuck a glance at his suddenly quiet uncle.

"I… _suppose_ so; if that's what my husband wants."

"I don't want you to go!" Gao growled, "I want you to stay here!"

The red-clad male turned away from the queue, towards the sink.

"So do I…"

Gao and Kiki stayed for twenty more minutes, before they set out to meet Rai at the village gates.

"He really did want you to come, Rei." Kiki had said, before the three friends had left for the Kon gardens.

"Seriously," the short monkey-like teen had continued outside, "And you and Mao be careful, alright?"

After he had clambered once more up Gao's back, the food-loving one added, "And don't get caught."

Rei mused over the last comment as he watched his friend's retreating backs, waiting for his Shushu to accompany him to the arranged meeting; one that would change his life forever.

"Go ahead, Shushu! I just forgot my parasol!" Rei shouted over the crowd, fighting against the sea of bodies in order to backtrack to the family teashop, where he had indeed forgotten his sunshade.

The older Kon shook his head, smiling.

_: Rei's so excited he's not thinking clearly; he really can be cute. :_

He chuckled to himself and proceeded to the designated meeting place.

_: D-damn…! Why did we have to meet at the other end of town: _Rei cursed mentally, racing down the crowded street as quickly as etiquette (and his dress) would allow.

In his hands lay his parasol, having been retrieved from the teahouse a mere three minutes ago.

He was so focused on the task at hand, that he didn't notice when a fruit peddler's cart bumped on a stone, spilling a few oranges into his path.

In seconds, he was falling face-forward into the dirt, with no chance of catching himself.

_: Shit, my dress'll get dirty: _Shushu would kill him!

But, to his surprise, he was caught by a pair of strong arms.

_: Who..:_

Frantically, he looked up to meet the face of his rescuer, to find that it was completely shadowed under the hood of a black traveling cloak; the only thing he could discern was a pair of brilliant crimson eyes.

For some reason, these eyes were familiar to him; they reminded him of fire, like the fantastic wings of a phoenix in flight; of the spectacular glow of stars in a midnight summer sky.

His breathing grew erratic and his heart pounded heavily in his chest, as the unidentified man pulled him to a firm, muscled chest.

A deep, husky voice graced him, blanketing his ear in a layer of warm breath.

"Are you alright?"

Rei, now panting, nodded, clenching his hands into the soft fabric of the stranger's cloak; he inhaled the oddly soothing scent of ash.

They remained like that for what seemed like hours, and Rei was fine with that. In this mystery man's arms, nothing else seemed to matter; within this warmth that surrounded him, he felt safe, secure… loved. And he didn't know why.

"Didn't you have to be somewhere…?" the man continued, pulling back just enough to gaze down into Rei's hazy eyes; it had finally registered in the Chinese teen's mind that his man of mystery was several inches taller than he was, and, he pouted inwardly, was well-muscled.

Suddenly, the neko-jin snapped back into reality.

_: The meeting…: _

He took off like a bolt of lightening down the dirt street, only to run back just as quickly.

The stranger wordlessly held out the red parasol (when had he dropped it?) to him.

"T-thank you…" Rei stammered, flushing madly, "Um, can I ask your name…?"

The stranger was silent for a moment, "Kai… my name is Kai."

"Kai…" he repeated, enjoying the way it felt on his tongue.

He smiled, still blushing, and gave a short bow of thanks before continuing his hard pace down the street.

The cloaked figure smirked, eyes glittering, "I finally found you…"

"F-forgive me, Shushu…!" Rei gasped, sliding into a sitting position atop the small cushion set upon the floor for him.

The older Kon rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless, "It's alright; he hasn't shown up yet."

"Augh, thank _god_!" Rei groaned, smoothing down the front of his dress in a last ditch effort to ensure that he was presentable.

"Umm, Rei?"

"Hmm?"

"Your, uh.. parasol…"

"Ah damn." The ravenette hurriedly set the sunshade beside him, keeping it an acceptable distance from his knees; this way, he wouldn't be able to accidentally hit it with his knees or hands.

Just then, an elegantly dressed woman, of great age by the looks of it, entered the room, setting down a tray of tea.

"The master has arrived."

Rei gulped, brushing a strand behind his ear nervously.

"Stay calm." Shushu whispered, though a bead of sweat was forming on his temple.

Both Kon's tensed as the door slid open once more, this time revealing a pale youth in stylish robes of deep blue, combining wonderfully with his hair of…. black and an undertone of sky blue?

Calmly, the man took his place a few feet before Rei, keeping his eyes closed and head tilted toward the floor. But, after a moment or two, his gaze met that of his future wife and smirked.

Rei could hardly contain a gasp of surprise.

This man had orange eyes.

"Sir Rei," the older woman announced, "this is your future husband, Master Lanse Niao."

**

* * *

**

Juànzhóu Jiéshù

_Chapter Title: Juànzhóu Sān: Yuēhuì – Scroll Three: The Engagement_

_Zuìhòu Shíjiān… - Last time…_

_Juànzhóu Jiéshù – Scroll End_

_Fenghuang – Often mistaken for Zu Que, but they are different: Fenghuang is the king of birds, while Zu Que is the constellation of the south, and so on and so forth._

_Lanse Niao – 'Blue bird'; it's all I could think of. U_

A/N: Wow! A lot of you thought _Kai_ would be his fiancée! (please don't kill me! O-OU)

And thanks for all the great reviews!

Don't forget to check out the other KaRe Wave authors; later, minna-san! XD


	4. Juànzhóu Sì: Bùshūfu Gănjué

A/N: Heeeey, minna-san….! I know it's been, like, four months or so since I last updated…. U

Anyway, I'd like to take this time to say that I'm now doing the chapter titles and everything in Chinese to make it more catchy! And, the last few chapters were also changed! –proud-

Disclaimer: I don't own Bakuten Shoot, China, anything related to China- Oh, wait… -holds up pen- WRONG! My PEN was made in China! - and I beg that the big corporate guys, the Chinese government, and Takao Aoki to not sue me... =w=

* * *

**Juànzhóu Sì: Bùshūfu Gănjué**

_Qing Long, the azure dragon…_

_The spring representative was one half of the pair of obnoxious, loud dragons in the heavens, and could often be seen stuffing his face with pork buns, dumplings, noodles… basically, whatever stayed still long enough. Still, the element of wood wasn't necessarily lazy; in fact, he could always be seen around midday, honing his skills diligently under the watchful eye of his Grandfather and older brother._

_It had been dusk when he meandered around his temple, nibbling on a rice cake absentmindedly, when his brother Hitoshi ran up to greet him, carrying an urgent message from Zu Que._

_The constellation broke into a wide grin as his eyes scanned the little scroll, drinking in his friend's words._

"_Wow," he whistled between his teeth, "things are getting that bad, huh? Or maybe Xuan Wu's enjoying himself too much!"_

_Without another word, he gulped down the last of his snack, rubbed his hands on his robes, and strolled off down the long, glistening white hallway, whistling as he went._

_Looking a tad perplexed, Hitoshi followed at a brisk pace._

"_But _why_? That's not fair, Qing Long! Why can't _I_ do it?" Huang Long whined, hanging loosely from the foot of the Eastern dragon's large bed, his head hovering just above the floor._

_His eyes were watching Qing Long with heightening jealousy as the older one rummaged through his chest of drawers, tossing an item into a rucksack every now and then._

"_How should I know? I don't know how Zu Que works! And besides, I'm not going to miss this opportunity by giving it to _you_."_

_The golden one huffed and crossed his arms haughtily in front of his chest._

_Qing Long grinned, as he watched his friend slowly sliding, then fall to the ground in a heap._

"_And besides, I work better with Xuan Wu than you do. Don't worry, maybe I'll bring you back a souvenir; later!"_

_And with that, the Eastern god raced out of his room, bidding the other farewell with a wave of his hand._

_Huang Long quickly scrambled to his feet, "Hey! You _can't_ be leaving _right now_…! Hold it!"_

_The azure dragon only laughed aloud, never slackening his trek towards the only path to his destination._

_: The mortal world, huh?: he thought, : Could be fun. :_

**

* * *

**

Zuìhòu Shíjiān…

_/Calmly, the man took his place a few feet before Rei, keeping his eyes closed and head tilted toward the floor. But, after a moment or two, his gaze met that of his future wife and smirked._

_Rei could hardly contain a gasp of surprise._

_This man had orange eyes._

"_Sir Rei," the older woman announced, "this is your future husband, Master Lanse Niao."/_

* * *

Rei caught himself, and dipped his head respectfully to the other man.

The man known as Lanse Niao smiled gently and chuckled.

"I was told you were strong-headed, but you don't seem it at all."

Shushu let out a barking laugh – actually, it was more of a cross between a mad cackle and a nervous wheeze – and placed a heavy hand upon the top of Rei's head.

"Oh no, he's firecracker, believe me!"

Rei rolled his narrowed eyes, _: Always the face of composure, aren't you Shushu? : _

Niao's odd-colored eyes glowed, giving Rei the impression that they were small lamps, before he gave another dazzling smile.

"I hope that that liveliness will rub off on me; I'm afraid I'm not very outgoing." He faltered, "Ah, I hate to seem rude, but perhaps we should start on the planning…?"

Shushu flushed furiously, waving his hands in front of his face and shaking his head frantically, "N-not at all! Yes, yes, we should begin, of course!"

Rei carefully took the tea tray - which had been placed there by the older woman who had announced Niao's arrival - into his slender hands and began to pour three steaming cups of green tea, and offered one to his Uncle and his fiancée before sipping his own, modestly.

There was a predatory gleam in smoldering orange orbs for a split second; or, perhaps, it had been a trick of the light.

_: Scary… :_ Rei shivered, glancing up at his betrothed from beneath his eyelashes.

There was something… _wrong_ about this man; Rei couldn't tell what it was, exactly, but his instincts screamed at him to stay away… yet Niao was very charming, and seemingly kindhearted. Both emotions tugged at Rei's being, pulling on his senses to the point of feeling as though he was about to be ripped into two.

From atop a smithy directly across from where the Kon's and the new arrival were discussing possible wedding plans, a blond figure was splayed out, watching the scene with interest. His jaw was working furiously as he sucked on a piece of hard candy, his toes wiggling in time to his swaying body, all in a silent rhythm.

_: Zu Que told me to keep an eye on him, so that's what I'll do! :_ Max thought vigorously, his chest bursting with pride at the importance and responsibility of the task in which he was assigned.

_: As long as I have candy. :_

With a squeak of pure pleasure, the blue-eyed deity reached into a leather pouch at his side and dug his fingers around inside of it. After a few seconds of browsing the hand retracted, a bright red sweet within its grasp. Skillfully, Max flipped the piece high into the air and caught it on his tongue, balancing it for a few moments before drawing it into his mouth and sucking on it.

He was unaware of a large shadow creeping up behind him, hands outstretched.

"- in front of the temple would be lovely."

Shushu nodded, "I agree. What about you, Rei?"

Golden eyes wrenched themselves open, having finally awoken from a daydream.

_: Most brides would be all into this wedding planning crap… :_ Rei mumbled inwardly, _: But_ I, _on the other hand, think it's boring as hell. :_

" I think that would be nice," he responded gently, seeming as though he _hadn't _been dozing off at his own marriage meeting, " I really feel connected to the shrine of Bai Hu, so being married there couldn't make me happier. That is, if that's alright with you."

Unintentionally, his lashes fluttered momentarily as his eyelids eclipsed his golden orbs halfway, setting off his slightly tanned skin and the dark tresses framing his face; the overall look was quite appealing.

Niao softly picked up Rei's left hand and kissed it tenderly, his eyes never leaving his fiancée's (1).

"If that's what you'd like, then I'll make it so."

Without warning, a slight blush crept up on the ebony-haired boy's cheeks, staining them a bright pink. Trying to hide his embarrassment, the youngest Kon averted his gaze by looking down into his half-filled teacup.

_: W-what..? Why'm I blushing like this, it's awkward…! :_

Shushu noticed his discomfort out of the corner of his eye and sighed, a smile on his lips.

"Rei, why don't you go home and rest for a bit; we'll finish the rest of the details."

Still feeling distorted, the mentioned person turned to his soon-to-be husband, silently seeking permission.

" I think that's a wonderful idea." Niao said warmly, "I'll have your wedding robes delivered to you tomorrow; I believe they should fit you perfectly."

Rei nodded numbly, and rose to his feet a tad ungracefully. After a few stiff bows to the others, he left the room, sliding the door closed after he did so.

A sigh escaped the neko-jin's lips, trying to clear his head. His heart was pounding painfully in his chest, for reasons unknown; but, nevertheless, he straightened his posture and padded down the hallway.

By the time Max took notice of the looming shadow descending upon him, it was too late. He was caught in a fierce grip as two arms wove around him, trapping the blond foreigners arms to his sides.

Instinctively, the turtle deity squirmed and struggled, pushing off from the roof with his feet and slamming his shoulder into his captor's chest.

"Owwww…..!"

Almost without delay, the freckled one stopped thrashing and paused with disbelief. Dramatically, he turned his golden head to look over his shoulder, in order to see the other's face.

He gasped and then let out a loud squeal.

"TAKAO!"

The taller of the two braced himself for the impact that he knew would come, while also rubbing the sore spot where Max had pushed against him with his shoulder.

Sure enough, the cloaked figure's arms were soon full of squirming, bubbly blond.

"Hey Maxie."

Blue, glistening eyes glanced up at the image of his boyfriend, one whom he had not seen for nearly three days.

Kinomiya Takao, a.k.a Qing Long, had deep blue hair that reached down his back, and deep brown eyes. At the moment, he was garbed in a simple light blue gi over dark blue pants, with a black cloak overtop, concealing the boy's body nearly completely.

A bright, toothy grin overcame Takao's face as he too studied the other.

"Ah, you've been eating sugar again!" he said almost accusingly, fingering Max's pouch of sweets.

The blond crossed his arms and pouted, "I needed to get rid of the boredom somehow; it's not like I had you and Huang Long there to keep me company."

"True."

There was a moment's silence between the two as they fully absorbed the situation.

"So," the Northern deity murmured, "Zu Que doesn't think I'm doing a good job? Why else would he send you…"

Takao shrugged and looked out over the village, "He's just being careful, I guess; the stakes are pretty high."

The blond nodded and plopped back down on the roof, sticking another piece of candy in his mouth before tossing one to his love, "I thought I saw him the other day."

"He's around here, keeping an eye on things…. Listen Max, don't be surprised if Huang Long's down here anytime soon, the bastard's moving pretty fast, and Zu Que'll want all the help he can get when things get serious."

Max smiled sadly, "You mean, they aren't serious already?"

Takao glanced down at him.

"… Not if you're eating candy to get rid of boredom."

Max chuckled to himself and leaned against the bluenette's legs. "You got me."

The Eastern dragon punched the air.

"But seriously, are you supposed to be keeping an eye on the target?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Umm, 'cause he just left."

"… crap." (2)

Now free from the suffocating attention thrust upon him by his uncle and fiancée, Rei was taking his sweet time going home. He wasn't so tired as to take a nap just yet, so he opted to walk around the village and collect his thoughts. And to plan.

_: Shushu's leaving today, so Mao and I should be able to leave tomorrow morning, and get there by noon. If things go well. :_ he added as an afterthought.

Without thought, he meandered throughout the streets, trying to hammer down nearly every little detail of his and Mao's intrusion into the army. It would be a little difficult on Mao's part, as she had to escape from her Grandfather just long enough to hit the road before anyone missed her; Rei, however, would be free.

_: So, we'll say, 6:00 a.m. :_ he concluded, as he strolled through the archway into the Wong's property.

He was halfway to the door when Tao, an elderly martial arts instructor –and Rei and the other's previous teacher-, hailed him.

"It's been too long since you last came to train, Rei."

"Ah, uhh, I'm sorry Master," Rei stammered, "I've been really busy at home lately."

"With your engagement." It wasn't a question.

Rei sighed, looking put-out, "Yes. But, Master, what are you doing here?" _: Usually you're out stalking the village girls at this hour. :_ Rei was too respectful to actually say that last bit, however.

"Just visiting an old friend; and you, you're here to see Mao?" the little old man leaned forward on his small, wooden walking stick, eyeing his pupil.

"Yeah, I was; isn't she home?"

Tao slumped forward, looking thoroughly depressed, "No, she went off to help the Taiyang's bring their goods to the city today; she won't be back until tonight But just in time or dinner!"

"Oh." Well, that put a damper on things.

_: Maybe I should….? :_

"Master? Since you're having dinner with the Wong's, could you give Mao a letter from me? I have too many things to do tonight-" _: Like packing. :_ "and, it's kind of important."

"But of course!"

The old master waited patiently as Rei hurried to the Wong's stable and tore off a piece of an old piece of parchment paper Rai and Mao used to use to write down their separate chore list. Thankfully, Rai had forgotten and left an old ink block and brush upon the same worktable as the parchment, so Rei was able to form a decent – if quick – letter.

"Thank you Master." He stated honestly, handing the small piece of paper to the addressed man.

Tao nodded his head, "It's no trouble at all."

Rei had just enough time to make it home and prepare a simple meal –Shushu would be bringing his on the journey to the war camp- by the time his Uncle strolled in.

"I have your dinner packed." He announced, as he heard the door close.

His ears followed the soft thump of footsteps approaching the kitchen.

"Mm, thank you." The older Kon said as he sat down at the table, looking over his traveling pack and making sure he had remembered to pack everything.

"So, did that nap help you at all, Rei? You looked worn out earlier."

Rei didn't miss a beat, "Yes, it helped out a lot! I guess I was just stressed." He laughed a little and turned around to start washing the dishes he had dirtied while cooking.

Shushu shrugged, "Not to worry; I suppose it could be expected of someone about to be married. Just think, all that worry will disappear tomorrow after the wedding!"

There was a loud 'thunk' as Rei dropped a pot into the washbasin.

"I-I'm sorry, could you say that… again…?" he asked, his voice coming out in a whisper.

Shushu didn't seem to notice his odd behavior, "Yeah, I know, it's sudden, isn't it? But Mister Niao said that he was needed back home soon, for one thing or another, and wanted to hold the wedding as soon as possible. He seemed pretty intent on tomorrow."

_: Tomorrow…? :_ the word pounded throughout Rei's skull like a drum.

Instantly, all the plans he had formulated earlier in the day drifted off with the wind.

**Juànzhóu Jiéshù**

_

* * *

_

Chapter Title: Juànzhóu Sì: Bùshūfu Gănjué – Scroll Four: Uncomfortable Feelings

_Zuìhòu Shíjiān… - Last time…_

_Juànzhóu Jiéshù – Scroll End_

A/N: O.k, people probably didn't do this in ancient China, but I wanted Niao to seem all gentlemanly and what-not, so…. Yeah. U

Some TakaoxMax for all of you! (I figured I needed _some_ form of yaoi to keep things going… U)

Comments are welcome!


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